Plans, policies and positions

Fact of the week

51 million: The number of children unregistered at birth is 51 million

A World Fit for Children Goal: Develop systems to ensure the registration of every child at or shortly after birth, and fulfil his or her right to acquire a name and a nationality, in accordance with national laws and relevant international instruments.

Birth registration is fundamental to the realization of child rights, legitimizing the existence of a child’s life while simultaneously recording the State’s recognition of the child as a citizen. Even so, more than 50 million children are still not registered at birth.

Birth registration is almost twice as likely for children born in cities than for those born in rural areas.

Source: Demographic and Health Surveys (DHS), Multiple Indicator Cluster Surveys (MICS) and other national surveys, 2000-2008. Data refer to the most recent year available during the referenced period.